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Path of Inspiration
Category:Religions "Each life is a lesson, and you must live the life you have been given if you hope to rise in the next." -Excerpt from The Path of Inspiration in Secrets of Sarlona The Path of Inspiration is the state religion of Riedra, and the faith forms the backbone of the nation. Indeed, the faith and the nation are one and the same in the eyes of most of its citizens. Doctrine The main precept of the Path of Inspiration is that devotion to the il-altas, the great spirits, comes first. They believe these great spirits are opposed by evil gods and fiends, which they call the altavars. These evil spirits tempt the faithful to wander from the path and threaten their ability to progress along the path to the next life in the cycle of reincarnation. The Path of Inspiration bears some basic resemblance to the Church of the Silver Flame. However, followers of the Path believe that all foreign faiths worship altavars, and that these faiths are corrupted. Most Riedrans are illiterate, and are taught the precepts of the Path of Inspiration by the sermons of the priests in the waking hours and have the lessons broadcasted from the quori monoliths into their dreams at night. Cycles of Reincarnation Followers of the Path of Inspiration believe in cycles of reincarnation and spiritual evolution along this path to enlightenment. Followers of the precepts of the faith hold that should they obey the will of their Chosen representatives on Eberron, that they too can eventually be reincarnated into one of the il-altas. Inspiration refers to when a Chosen is inhabited by one of these great spirits. The various tiers of this cycle to reach enlightenment are: * The il-altas who cannot manifest on the Material Plane and instead must act through The Inspired; * The Chosen (those who are guided by the il-altas); * Changelings; * Humans; * Nonhumans (dromites, duergar, dwarves, elans, ogres, ogre mages, shifters); * Beasts The Path of Inspiration teaches that some creatures house altavars within them, such as elans, ogre mages, and the dreaded kalashtar of Adar. Garb Riedrans who observe this faith dress in brown, black, and white clothing with complex embroidery on the hems. The Inspired are permitted to wear blue and red on their robes. Hierarchy Members of the priesthood of the Path of Inspiration are the only citizens of Riedra permitted to use divine magic. All members of the priesthood of the Path of Inspiration belong to a single rank–that of the priest. Priests report to those who serve the Inspired lords of Riedra, who they may never encounter in person. Priests help indoctrinate the common folk of Riedra into the rule of the Inspired. They are dispatched as servants to quell dissent and contain opponents of the rule of the Inspired over Riedra. Any priests who disobey the whims of their masters are dealt with permanently. The Inspired stand above all other members of the Path of Inspiration, and can command all followers at a whim. Holy Sites The most iconic locations for worshippers of the Path of Inspiration are the quori monoliths, the hanbalani altases, or "sanctuaries of the soul." Citizens of Riedra believe these places house the spirits of the dead before they transition into their next life along the path. References Category:Riedra